Guus Hiddink has revealed he has enough energy left to have another crack at
being a Premier League manager after his short but successful spell at
Chelsea.

Hiddink was put in charge at Stamford Bridge for four months, winning the FA Cup in 2009, following the sacking of Luis Felipe Scolari and would be interested in listening to offers from English clubs in the summer.

Although the Dutchman was careful not to insult current employers, Anzhi Makhachka, his contract with the Russian club expires at the end of the season and he feels he could return to England at the age of 66.

Hiddink, who won the Dutch title seven times with PSV Eindhoven, is one of the most respected managers in world football and is a good friend of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich. Although he suggested back in November that he could retire this summer, he delivered a different message on the eve of Anzhi’s Europa League clash with Newcastle United.

“I enjoyed it very much here,” said Hiddink, who took South Korea to the semi-finals of the World Cup in 2002 before taking charge of the Australian and Russian national sides.

“I follow the Premier League a lot, of course. I enjoyed very much playing here and overall in the Premier League.

“I very much liked the attitude of the players I had in my time at Chelsea. I very much liked the atmosphere in the stadiums, the public who come and enjoy and respect the way we are playing.

"You can work properly here.“It’s what every player likes to do and also the managers and coaches. They like to work in the big leagues.

"I don’t know about my future, because I’m not the youngest any more, though I still feel very energetic and I love to be on the pitch almost every day with the guys. There’s energy left.”

Although the Premier League’s reputation has taken a battering from its failure to provide any interest in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, Newcastle manager, Alan Pardew, is confident some of the damage will be repaired in the Europa League.

Newcastle, Chelsea and Tottenham all have a good chance to reach the last eight of a competition English clubs have struggled in for more than three decades.

There have only been two English winners – Tottenham and Liverpool – in the last 33 years, with Arsenal, Fulham and Middlesbrough finishing as runner-ups.

That statistic pales in comparison to the two other major European leagues, with Italy celebrating eight winners and six runner-ups, while Spain have provided seven winners and four runner-ups.

“The depth of the Premier League is in no doubt, and if I was a betting man I think the winners of the Europa League will come from England this year,” said Pardew. “The three teams left in can concentrate on it fully.

“The group that's below the top four is getting stronger, Everton Spurs and ourselves, although our league place doesn't justify it, I think next year we'll be competing in that.

“We have mentioned that, with the teams out of the Champions League, we are flying the flag. We have a responsibility, not just to Newcastle fans, but to the Premier League. We are in it to win it and I think it’s only right our fans dream of doing just that.”